Say My Name
by Maze-zen
Summary: Christine meets a strange man in Starbucks.


**Based on an idea from the lovely Lillian who works as a barista.**

* * *

Christine was working swiftly; her shift at Starbucks was nearly over and she needed a long overdue soak in the bathtub. Hopefully, she would get home before Sorelli who always spent hours hoarding the bathroom. Sharing a large apartment with three other girls had it advantages, but only having one bathroom was definitely not one of them.

She'd just made a Mocha Cookie Crumble frappuccino, two Oatmeal Honey lattes and a blonde Cocoa Cloud Macchiato when Meg sent her an order of a tall dark roast coffee; it was a relief. These days it seemed like everyone wanted something special, extending the list in her head of how to make idiotic beverages by the day. She'd rather use that space in her head for remembering opera arias.

It barely took ten seconds to pour the black coffee into the cup and cover it with a lid. She read the name Meg had written on the side with a little amusement, but figured that it was a nickname or a joke before calling it out.

"Eldric," she called towards the people waiting in line. A guy stood out among them, tall with finely tailored dark clothes and a black satin mask covering his whole face; he looked directly at her with piercing yellow eyes for a moment before turning his head away. No one responded, all of them with their heads in their phones. Except mask-guy.

Christine pursed her lips. This happened several times a day, mostly due to people not paying attention. But sometimes because Meg wrote the wrong name.

"A tall dark roast for Eldric!" Christine yelled once more, a little louder and held up the cup. Several people looked up disinterested, but it was the masked man that came towards her with an exasperated huff.

"I think you mean Erik," a deep, soft voice murmured, sweeter than any kind of syrup currently sticking to Christine's clothes or hands. But the smooth velvet of the magnificent voice was slightly obscured by pain clear in his tone as he spoke. Christine casted an annoyed side look to Meg at the counter. This man was clearly hurt by the wrong name being called out, though she couldn't understand why.

The man, Erik, reached out for the cup still in Christine's hand and she handed it to him, distracted, as she tried to catch his eyes. He was looking down, trying to avoid her gaze, but being much taller than her, it was the wrong way for him to look. She noticed the glistening in his eyes, indicating that he was close to tears.

Just as she was going to ask him if he was alright, he turned away and with the swift strides of his long legs, he left the store in seconds.

Christine usually kept out of the customers' private businesses, but she couldn't shake the feeling that she had somehow wronged him. Without thinking she left the counter, passed several waiting customers and ignored Meg calling for her to get back, as she ran out in the cold air after the masked man.

She easily found him - having noticed that he had turned a right - in the side alley next to the store. The cup had been thrown against the wall across from him, a mess of dark roast melting the thin layer of snow on the ground. He was cradling his head in his hands, shoulders shaking as he silently cried.

Her heart ached for him. What could've hurt him so?

"Erik," she said gently, hesitating to go any nearer when she saw him still. "Are you alright? Did I do something wrong?" She gestured to the spilled coffee, but hoped he would understand that she meant the mistaken name as well.

Several moments passed in silence as she saw him compose himself in a manner that told her he did it often; she recognized it from herself. Then he turned to face her, though he didn't make direct eye contact. The alley was well lit by the sun poking through the clouds, but it was darker here than in the fluorescent lights in the store and his eyes nearly disappeared in the depths of the mask.

"I'm fine," his voice was cold, impassive, unlike the emotional tone she'd heard in the store. However, it was still the most mesmerizing voice she'd heard. It somehow attempted to assure her that he was speaking the truth, though her instincts told her he was lying. "You did nothing wrong…" his eyes found the tag over her breast, "Christine."

She shivered slightly at the way he spoke her name, a little more real than the rest of the sentence. But she wasn't satisfied by his answer, in spite of the strange reassurance in his voice. She stepped a little closer, then stopped when she saw his eyes widen in panic, even hidden in the mask. It was fascinating to see his emotions so clearly given away by his eyes when the rest of his face was covered.

"Let me make it up to you: I'll make anything you want, free of charge, with the right name on the cup." She smiled sincerely to him like she did when she wanted Raoul to do her a favor. But the smile seemed to break the man in front of her as the careful implanted facade once again broke.

"Why are you being so nice to me? No one is ever nice to a masked freak." Erik seemed to crumble in front of her, his tall frame suddenly shrinking into a lump of limbs. Who had hurt him like this? _Everyone_, her mind supplied.

Christine couldn't stay away anymore, her sympathy for this poor man too strong. She walked into his personal space and wrapped her arms around him. He stiffened for a moment before nearly collapsing against her tiny frame, sobbing hard against her shoulder.

"All I wanted was to hear someone say my name," he whispered between sobs and her heart broke even more for him. How sad to have to go to a Starbucks to hear someone say your name! And then she hadn't even used the right one.

She held him tightly as his crying slowly began to quiet down, her hand gently stroking his upper back. She was compassionate by nature and couldn't let this strange man suffer. Nothing indicated that he would take advantage of her kindness, though she admitted that she had been wrong before. But then the front of his face leaned directly against her shoulder, allowing her to feel a void where his nose should've been.

It was only a moment; he turned his head quickly, but suddenly the mask didn't seem so out of place. Neither did his wish to hear someone say his name; he didn't have anyone in his life. He probably barely knew what kindness was.

He began to pull away from her, embarrassment obviously filling him, but she caught his hand, taking a brief look at his wrist watch, before looking into his odd yellow eyes. They were more golden at the moment and in spite of the embarrassment, she saw wonder reflected in them. It warmed her heart.

"My shift is ending now, but I need to change my clothes," she looked down at her sticky apron, hoping that some syrup or ground coffee hadn't rubbed off on his fine clothing; she didn't dare look. "Do you have time for dinner? With me? I know a good place down the street."

Erik looked completely baffled by the suggestion, stumbling through the words as he informed her that he certainly didn't have any plans and would like to go with her if she truly meant it."

"Can you wait for me in the store while I change and clock out?" He nodded and hand in hand she led him into the store, leaving him at the bar stools up front. She avoided Meg's pointed look, directly going into the back to change into her regular clothes and clock out, accepting that the warm bath at home would have to wait.

She hurried back into the store, scared that Erik had left, but instead, he stood awkwardly where she's left him, looking anywhere but at her.

"Erik!" she called out and her heart lifted as his eyes lit up in joy.


End file.
